Steering-gear for road-machines.



D. U. BOYD.

- STEERING GEAR FOB. ROAD MACHINES.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV.13, 1912.

1 1 3&4? 1 Pat ented Mar. 2, 1915 a SHEETS-SHEETI.

NVENTOR A Home D. G. BOYD.

STEERING GEAR FOB. ROAD MACHINES.

- APPLIOATION FILED NOV .13,1912- 1,1 30,471

Patented Mar. 2, 17915.

a SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ZNTOR Altarmyg.

D. c. BOYD. I STEERING GEAR FOR ROAD MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13, 1912.

1, 1 30A? 1 Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Allorney 3.

ED s

DAVID c. BOYD, or GALION, 01110, ASSIGNOR TO THE GALION IRON worms ANDMANUFACTURING COMPANY, or GALION, OHIO, A CORPORATION or OHIO.

STEERING-GEAR FOR RoAn-mAcHmiis.

the same by means of a traction engine, and

it has been found necessary in order that the best results may beobtained, that the enmum traction force being in this manner secured.Inasmuch as the grader must travel at the sides of the road, it isnecessary that some means be provided for maintaining its line of travelregardless of the relative position of the traction engine. The presentinvention, therefore, aims to provide a steering mechanism for. thispurpose which may be readily and quickly'operated; which will not beliable to become disarrange'd; and, which will require no lockingdevices for holding it at adjustment. In all of the various types ofsteering mechanism employed 30 in this connection at the presenttimefmeans it hasbeen adjusted,'a'nd not only does the provision of'such means render it necessary 85 for the operator to perform twoseparate of travel of the machine, but the locking mechanism isinvariably so located that it is subjected to considerable strain and isliabl to become broken or disarranged. The present inventioncontemplates so arranging the gearing which communicate s motion betweenthe steering rod and the steering mechanism proper, that the mecha--Specification o! Letters latent. Application me November 13, 19 2.Serial No. 731,097.

gine travel in the center of the road, a maxiis provided for locln'ngthe mechanism afterand distinct operations in changing the line PatentedMar. 2, 1915.

is a perspective view of the steering mecha-.

nism embodying the present invention, applied to a road machine; Fig. 2is a top plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectionalView through the gear casing of the mechanism; Fig. 5 is a vertical.sectional view throughthe said casing;.Fig. 6 is a plan viewillustrating a slight modification of the invention; Fig. 7-is a'viewsimilar to Fig. Gillustrating a further modifiv cation.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawingsby the same reference characters.

In the form of the invention shown in 1 Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the bodyof the road machine upon which the steering mechanism is arranged, isindicated-in general by the reference numeral '1, and the forward axleby the usual wheels 3 which are the steering wheels of the machine. Theaxle is mounted to turn upon the usual king bolt 4;,and

this bolt asses through members 5 and 6 of a fifth w eel, these membersbeing carried respectively by the body 1 of the road machine and by theaxle 2. Themembers 6 of the fifth wheel structure supports a steeringarm 7 which may be the'ordinary tongue of the machine foreshortened.

Disposed between the fifth wheel members 5' and 6 is a flat-sided head 8having a forwardly'extending socketed arm 9 into which is fitted andsecuredthe rear end of a draft.

pole 10 provided at its free or forward end is indicated at 2 and issupported at its ends with a clevis 11 for attachment to the draw beamof the traction engine (not shown).

By referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings, it will be observed that theking bolt passes through the head 8, and it will be understood that thesaid head has turning movement between the sections of thefifth wheel sothat the draft pole 10 may assume various angular positions withrelationto the steering arm 7.

By referring toFigs. 1 and 2 of the draw- .in'gs, it will be observedthat the steering arm 7 is braced with relation to the axle 2 by meansof braces 12 connected at their. forward ends to opposite sides of thesaid arm and at their rear ends to the axle2.

Bracket plates 13 are secured upon opposite sides of the steering arm atthe forward end and that the bar is held securely in position byvmeansof braces 15 which are secured at their forward ends to the ends of thesaid bar'and at their rear ends to the rear ends of the plates 13. Abracket 16 is secured at each end of the bar 14 and is provided withspaced pintle lugs 17 between which is p'ivotally mounted a rock lever18. The forward end of each of the levers 18 is extended laterallyinwardly, as at 19, and terminates in a hook 20, and a sprocket chain 21extends ,in front of the bar 14 and is provided at its ends withclevises 22- engaging the hooked ends 20 of the rock levers. Connectedwith the rear end of each of the rock levers 18 is a link 23 which isconnected in turn with one of a pair of spring compressing members 24,these members being of the ordinary U-form and provided at the ends oftheir arms with hooks 25 arranged to engage the ends of the spring to becompressed, thisspring being indicated in the drawings by the numeral26. The other one ofthe memhers 24 of each pair of the springcompressing devices is connected with an eye-bolt 27 having its sha'nkfitted through an "ear 28 projecting rearwardly from the respective oradjacent brace 15. A nut 29 is threaded upon each of the eye-bolts andbears against the respective ear 28 and may be turned for springs servealso to absorb the sudden shocks and strains imposed'upon the chain.Fitted upon the draft pole 10 is a sleeve 30, iipon the upper side ofwhich is formed the base 31 of a gear casing, the body of 'which casingis indicated at 32 and is secured in place upon the base 31 by means ofsuitable bolts 33. The body of the casing 32 is formed with an opening34 in which is fitted the upper end of a spindle 35 which extendsthrough registering openings 36 in the sleeve 30 and draft pole 10, andat-its lower end is seated in an opening in a bracket army 37 formedintegral with the under side of the sleeve 30 and extending downwardlyand rearwardly therefrom. A.

.ing with the pinion 39 isa short worm shaft 40, one end of whichprojects through the wall of the casing and is provided with one member41 of a universal joint. The other "member of the universal joint isindicated by the numeral 42 and is fixed at'the forward end of asteering rod 43 supported within a suitable bracket 44 upon the body ofthe machine 1. T he rod 43 carries at its rear end a hand wheel 45 whichmay be grasped by the operator of the machine and rotated for thepurpose of imparting movement to the gears 39 and 38; 'By referring toFigs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings, it will be observed that the sprocketchain 21 is trained around the gear 38. From the foregoing descriptionof this form of the invention, it will be understood that the worm shaftmay berotated through the medium of the steering rod 43 and hand wheeland that, when rotated, the pinion 39 will revolve in one direction orthe other, imparting like movement to the sprocket gear 38.

It will further be apparent that rotation of the gear 38 will result ina pull being exerted in one direction or the other upon the sprocketchain 21 which will serve to swing the steering arm 7 to the right orleft, whereby to properly position the wheels 3 to attain the desiredline of travel. 1t will also be understood that the springs 26 serve notonly to hold the sprocket chain 21 taut and firmly in engagement withthe sprocket gear 38, but they also serve to absorb shocks and suddenstrains imposed upon the chain due either to a quick rotative movementof the steeringhand wheel 45 or to twisting movement imparted to thewheel 3 due to irregularities in'the road surface. Above all, it will benoted that it is unnecessary to provide any means whatsoever for holdingthe mechanism at adjustment for the reason that the gear 39 will belocked at every point in its rotating movement by the worm 4, and that,while the mechanism is as positively looked as if a separate anddistinct latch device were employed, nevertheless, it is only necessaryfor the operator of the machine in bolts 47 provided at their inner endswith hooks 48 with which are engaged the clevises 22 of the chain 21,this chain in this form of the invention "being trained about thesprocket gear 38 in the same manner as in the previously described form,A nut 49 is adjustably threaded upon each of the bolts 47, and arrangedupon each bolt hetween the respective nut 49 and the end 46.

of the brace through which the-bolt is fitted, 1s a compression spring50. The springs 50 serve precisely the same function as the springs 26,and it will be understood that elusive.

In that form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawings, thearcuate bar 14 is replaced by an arcuate rack 51 which is mounted insubstantially the same manner as the arcuate bar 14 and which meshesdirectly with the pinion 38. Aside from the substitution of this rack 51for the chain 21, themechanis'm is constructed and arranged in the samemanner as previously described.

From the foregoing description of the invention, it will be understoodthat by rotating the hand wheel 45, rotary movement will be imparted tothe pinion 38 and the rotation of this pinion will result in a swinginof the steering arm to the right or the left, depending upon theCHIGCtIOD of rotation of the hand wheel. It will,

therefore, be understood, inasmuch as the gear means provided forrotating the pinion 38 is of the worm type, it will automatically lockat all points of ad ustment and, consequently, the provision of aseparate and dis.-

at all times although it may yield in one direction or the other'to asufiicient degree to absorb sudden shocks and strains to which themechanism is subjected while the machine upon which it is mounted istraveling over an uneven road surface. It is to be particularly noted inconnection with the first described form of the invention that thesprings are so located that they will not be liable to be injured bycontact with objects passed by the road grader. It will further beapparent that not only does the provision of gearing of the worm type inthe connection herein shown provide for a positive locking of themechanism at all points of its adjustment, but less exertion is requiredfrom the operator in adjusting I the mechanism. 7 i

.By the term gear element as used in the appended claims is meant asprocket chain or cable or any other flexible device suitable for use inthis connection, and it will be understood that a pulley and cable mightbe employed under some conditions in place of the sprocket and sprocketchain, if desired, although the illustrated structure is to bepreferred.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is 'withoneend of each of the rock-levers, and

shock absorbing means'connected with the other end of "each rock-lever.

2. In steering mechanismof the class described, a steering memberincluding a transversely extending support, a rock-lever mounted at eachend of the support, a draft element, a gear mounted upon thedraft ele-'ment, means for rotating the gear, a flexible gear element connected atits ends with one end of each of the rock-levers, and means connectingwith the other end of each rocklever for yieldably holding element taut.3. In steering mechanismof the class described, a steering memberincluding a transversely extending support, a rock-lever mounted at eachend of the support, a draft element, a'gear mounted upon the draftelement, means for rotating the gear, a flexible gear element connectedat its ends with one end of each of the rock-levers, and means connectedwith the other end of each rocklever for taking up slack in the flexiblegear element.

4. 1n steering mechanism of the class dethe flexible 7 gear I scribed, asteering member including a trans- I versely extending support, arock-lever mounted at eachend of the support, a draft element, a gearmounted upon the draft element, means for rotating the gear, a flexiblegear element connected at its ends with one end of each of therock-levers, and means.

connected with theother end-of each rocklever tending to yieldably holdthe rockleversin position to hold the flexible gear element taut.

5. In steering mechanism of the class described, a steering member, adraft element, the steering member having a transverse head, a rotatablegear element for the draft element, spaced attaching members upon theheadof the steering member, a flexible gear element extending betweenthe said attaching members and codperating with the rotatable gearelement, and springs coiiperating with the attaching members andthe saidflexible gear element to hold the gear element taut 6. In steeringmeclianism of the class described, a steering member including anarcuate head having a forwardly presented convex side, a draft element,a rotatable gear carried by the draft element, a chain meshing with thegear and extending longitudinally in advance of the arcuate head of thesteering member, attaching members arranged at opposite ends of thehead, the said chain being operatively connected with the said attachingmembers, and springs 00- 10 operating with the attaching members to holdthe chain taut In testimony whereof afiix my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

, DAVID C. BOYD. [L8,] Witnesses: Y

C. E. Fox, f DEAN G. TALBOTJE.

